


December 9th - Holy Night

by IMAgentMI



Series: RvB Ficlet Advent Calendar [9]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-12
Updated: 2016-12-12
Packaged: 2018-09-08 01:15:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8824297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IMAgentMI/pseuds/IMAgentMI
Summary: Connie wants to know what Wash is making.





	

“Hey Wash, what are you doing?”

Connie grabbed a chair next to Wash, spinning it around before straddling it, resting her arms on the back. He gave a start at the sound of her voice, but after a quick glance over, returned his focus to the paper he was folding. “It’s origami.” His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it. He ran a finger along a neat crease, re-opened the paper, and folded it back in a different direction. 

Connie watched him for a moment before raising her eyes to what else was on the table. There were three figures already completed. She was reaching for one when she suddenly froze, looked back at her friend. “Do you mind if I…?” He shrugged, and she picked one up. 

It looked like a woman, kneeling with her hands raised together in front of her. Connie turned her over, trying to follow the collection of folds that created her, but lost track almost immediately. She replaced the woman carefully on the table, looking next at the folded man standing next to her, and between the two --

“Oh my god. You’re making a Nativity scene.” Connie picked up the tiny paper manger, folded all one piece along with the baby on top. 

“My family had an old wooden one back home. My grandma gave it to my mom, same as her mother had given it to her. It’d been handed down in my family for over a hundred years.” Wash didn’t stop folding, kept his eyes down on his work, but there were two bright spots starting to glow in his cheeks, and a brittle tone to his voice. “It feels like it’s been so long.” He paused, gestured around the rec room, at the tree, paper garlands, plates of cookies, and a screen showing a burning log in a fireplace. “I didn’t think I’d ever get to have anything like this, like a real Christmas again.” Wash’s hands rested on the table, paper nearly forgotten between his fingers. “Not like this, with a fa--” His mouth shut with an audible click of his teeth and he gave the paper in his hand a tortured look before he went on. “Anyway. For me, this was the only thing that was missing. So I am making it myself.” The edge was back, balanced between defiant and apologetic. He seemed to remember the nearly completed figure in his hands, laid it on the table and continued to work. 

Connie gently set the manger back down. “I think they’re beautiful.” Wash’s head stayed down, and the spots in his cheeks grew brighter, but something lightened in his eyes. “And you’re right, it’s wonderful to celebrate Christmas with a family again.” She pretended to hear someone in the door and looked away, giving him a chance to dry his eyes on the edge of his sleeve before she turned back around. She stayed silent while he worked, and smiled when he placed a finished camel on the table. She touched its nose with the tip of her finger, and Wash made it lurch forward, as though to bite her. Connie laughed, playfully shaking her fist at the camel before standing. Wash was finally smiling, even if his eyes were a bit red, and she rested her cheek on the top of his head, hugging him around the shoulders. “Merry Christmas, Wash.” 

He leaned back into her, raising his head slightly in response. “Merry Christmas, Connie.”


End file.
